The people of Bangalore are called Bangaloreans and the definition permeates class, religion and language. Deepavali, the "Festival of Lights", transcends demographic and religious lines and is celebrated with great vigor. Dussera, a traditional celebratory hallmark of the old Kingdom of Mysore is another important festival. Other traditional Indian festivals such as Ganesh Chaturthi, Ugadi, Sankranthi, Eid ul-Fitr and Christmas are also celebrated.
Buddhism
Buddhism began historically in North India in the 6th or 5th century BC when a man called Siddhartha Gautama attained "enlightenment", the ultimate truth by which people are freed from the cycle of rebirth. He became the Buddha, meaning "enlightened one", who taught others the way to escape from rebirth and suffering. The truth of the Buddha discipline or 'Buddha shasana', which involves meditation and spiritual exercise, and the teachings of the Buddha, or 'Buddha dharma', have, according to the followers of Buddhism, always been in existence.
A most important idea of Buddhism is that of the Four Noble Truths: Suffering exists; it is caused by desire; suffering can cease; and there does exist a path to nirvana or cessation of suffering. This Noble Eightfold Path consists of : Right resolve, Right speech, Right conduct, Right livelihood, Right effort, Right mindfulness, and Right concentration.
Christianity
Christianity began in life, ministry, death, and resurrection and ascension of Jesus, a Jewish man whom Christians believe to be the Son of God. But its roots lie further back in the Jewish tradition, with Christianity understanding itself as the New Covenant or Testament in relation to the Old. The story and early interpretation of Jesus, which understood him as the Christ or Messiah, are recorded in the New Testament, which includes Gospels, Epistles or letters, and other 1st-century writings. They all recognize that Jesus was, and is, the personal action of God in restoring His power and effect to the world.
Christians worship in what are called churches, praying both alone and in congregations. Although there are many sects and denominations of Christians, the two primary divisions are Roman Catholics and Protestants. The head of the Catholic Church is the Pope at Vatican.
The involvement of the Church in the world led some people into monastic and religious orders, where they concentrated on prayer, often with vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Preserving ancient learning enabled schools and universities to be set up. Churches became centers of music, art, and architecture in characteristic styles such as Romanesque, Perpendicular, Gothic and Baroque. Liturgically, through the year Christians follow, especially in festivals, the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, also celebrating saints, teachers, and martyrs. The quest for holiness, and the desire to be "in touch" with holy things, made pilgrimage to shrines and relics popular. Prayer and worship are basic to Christian life. So too is commitment to the poor. Christians have been vital in bringing education and healing to the world.
Hinduism
Hindu dharma is the world's oldest living dharma. Hinduism is the name given in the 19th century to the coalition of religions that existed in India. It comes from the Persian word "Hindu", in Sanskrit "Sindhu", which means "river", and refers to those people belonging to the Indus valley. It therefore means Indian. Of India's one billion people, about 80% regard themselves as Hindu, with about 30 million more dispersed throughout the world.
In the early period, religion became dominated by the Brahmins, or priests, in a four-fold division of society. Each division had a role or varna. The Brahmins were followed by the kshatriyas (warriors), vaishyas (traders and farmers) and shudras (menials and servants).
Religion is the observance of rites and ceremonies and a set of moral and social duties; religion is composed of various regulations of society, intercourse, marriage, inheritance, birth-rites, funeral rites. The Hindu temple as a monument has its outer surfaces and pillars adorned with sculptures of manifestations of the Supreme Soul.
Islam
Islam is the religion of allegiance to God that began historically with the prophet Muhammad in Arabia in the 7th century AD. Islam is often translated as "submission". But the Arabic letters "slm" that appear in "Islam" are related to the Hebrew word Shalom meaning the greetings of peace. Islam, therefore, means "entering into a condition of peace and security with God through allegiance and surrender to him".
Followers of this faith are called Muslims. Islam was basically propounded by prophet Mohammad. The sacred book of the Muslims is the Quran (from Arabic `to recite'), held to be revelations from Allah, and not the preachings of Prophet Mohammad.
Jainism
A JAINA, or JAIN, is a follower of the Jinas, the spiritual conquerors from whose lives and teaching the Jain religion in India is derived. Mahavira (Great Spirit)(c. 599-527 B.C.) was the founder of Jainism. The Jinas are also known as the tirthankaras, the "builders of the ford" that leads souls across the river of rebirth.
Sikhism
Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak (1469 - 1539 AD). A Hindu by birth, Guru Nanak traveled widely in search of spiritual truth. He emphasized the oneness of Gods, and the fact that all things are created by, and dependent on, Gods. The Punjabi word Sikh means "learner". A Sikh is someone who believes in one God, Sat Guru, or "true teacher". The sacred book of the Sikhs is the Adi Granth or Granth Sahib (completed in 1604), of which the Japji section was written by Guru Nanak.
The ten Sikh gurus are Nanak, Angad, Amar Das, Ram Das, Arjan, Har Gobind, Har Rai, Har Kishan, Teg Bahadur and Gobind Singh. The tenth and last guru, Gobind Singh, ended the guru system and organized the Sikhs into a military theocracy named Khalsa - the Pure. He asked his followers to wear long hair (kesh, denoting saintly appearance), underwear (kachha, denoting self-control), iron bangle (kara, denoting purity in acts), comb (kangha, denoting cleanliness of mind and body), sword (kirpan, denoting fight for a just cause). His gospel of love was: "Before the Lord, there is no one high or low". A Sikh temple is called a Gurudwara, the House of Guru.
Zoroastrainism
Zoroastrianism had its genesis in Iran. As they hail from a Pars in south-west Iran, the people who practise this religion are known as the Parsis. In 642, when the last Iranian empire was conquered by the Arabs, most Zoroastrians were forcibly converted to Islam. Others fled the country. Today, of the 1,30,000 Zoroastrians in the world, about 1,00,000 live in India. Although their number has never been very large, and is in fact dwindling, the Zoroastrians or Parsis have retained their identity very strictly. Despite being a small community, they have contributed enormously to India.
The prophet Spitama Zarathustra founded Zoroastrianism. It affirms that there is one god, Ahura Mazda (Wise Lord), other gods being manifestations of his qualities. He is the Creator or Ohrmazd. The seven Amesha Spentas (beneficient Immortals) are Zoroastrian equivalents of angels. Associates of the Amesha Spentas are Yazatas presiding over sun, moon, earth, fire etc. Corresponding to the Indian concept of pitri or forefathers, is the Avesta Fravashi (Faith and Inspiration). It is believed that there are two spirits working in this world; one is Spenta Mainyu, the spirit of growth and prayers and the other is Angre Mairyo, the spirit that is evil and destructive. The word for `soul' in the Avesta is Urva (Chosen).
